Safety device for elevators.



No. 684,560. Patented Oct. l5, I9Ul.

E. R. VAN ALLEN.

SAFETY DEVBCE FOB ELEVATORS.

(Application filed Jan. 18, 1901.)

(No Model.)

2 SheetsSheet I.

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Patented Oct. I5, 190i.

E. R. VAN ALLEN, SAFETY DEVICE FOR ELEVATORS.

(Application filed Jan. 18 1901.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

Inventor.

UNITED STATES PATENT @EETCE.

ELIJAII R. VAN ALLEN, OF NORTH TONAVVANDA, NEW YORK.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR ELEVATORS.

SPECIFICATION forrning part of Letters Patent No. 684,560, dated October1 5, 1901.

Application filed January 18, 1901. Serial No. 43,698. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ELIJAH R.VAN ALLEN, a citizen of the United States,residing at North Tonawanda, in the county of Niagara and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and usefullmprovements in Safety Devicesfor Elevators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved safety device for elevators, inwhich a lock forstopping the descent of the car is automatically throwninto operating position by the breaking of the cable; and the object ofthe invention is to construct a simple, cheap, and positive device ofthis character.

For afull understanding of the merits and advantages of the invention,reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings and the followingdescription.

The invention is susceptible to various changes in theform,proportion,and minor de tails of construction without departingfrom the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof; and toa full disclosure of the invention an adaptation thereof is shown in theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a carand a portion of an elevator equipped with my improved safety device.Fig. 2 is an end elevation of a car and a portion of an elevatorequipped with my improved safety device. Fig. 3 is an enlarged verticalsection on line a a, Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is an enlarged horizontal section online b b, Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical section on line 00,Fig. 3. Fig. 6. is an enlarged detached view of one of the end plates.Fig. 7 is an enlarged detached view of one of the locking-plates. Fig. 8is an enlarged end View of one of the end plates.

In referring to the drawings in detail like numerals designate likeparts.

The elevator-car shown in the drawings is composed of a platform 1, twovertical side supports 2, each of which extends upward.

from substantially the center of one of the sides of the platform, ahorizontal top support 8, formed of two parallel boards slightlyseparated from each other,and two end plates 4,each formed substantiallyas shown in Fig. 6, which are bolted to the upper ends of the verticalsupports 2 by the bolts 5 and provided with sockets in which the ends ofthe board of the top support 3 are firmly seated. The end plates tareeach provided with two curved lugs 7 and a slot 8, which extends at anangle to the sides of the plate. ing mechanism consists of two leversprovided with friction locking-shoes, which contact with the guide-postand instantly stop the motion of the car upon the breaking of the cable.

For a detail description of the specific adaptation of the lockingmechanism shown in the drawings reference is to be had particularly toFigs. 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7. Two levers 9, preferably consisting of flatmetal strips, are arranged between thetwo parallel inner ends slightlylapping each other. Fig. 4:.) Top and bottom plates 10 and 11 are boltedto the upper and lower surfaces of substantially the center of the topsupport and are provided with openings 12 and 13 for the passage of avertical flat pin 14. This pin passes between the lapping ends of thelevers 9 and has an eye 15 at its upper end for the attachment of thecable 16, which supports the car, and an enlarged head 17 at its lowerend, upon which a plate 18 is supported. A pintle 19 passes through thelapping ends of the lever and the body portion of the vertical fiat pinlat and serves to pivotally fasten these three parts together. (See Fig.4.) The levers extend in opposite directions, and the outer end of eachlever passes through one of the inclined slots 8, and a locking devicein the form of a plate 20, having one roughened or serrated edge 21, isrigidly fastened to the outer end of each lever. Each lever is pivotedto the top support 3 by a pin 22, which passes through the two parallelboards comprising the top support and the lever. A box or case 23 isbolted to each side of the top support and contains a spiral spring 24,which bears against the plate 18.

The operation of the device is as follows: The car is arranged with lugs7 projecting each side of the vertical guide-posts 25, and one of theplates 20 withits roughened or serrated edge 21 slightly out of contactwith one side of one of the guide-posts and the other plate with itsroughened or serrated edge slightly out of contact with the oppositeside of the reinainingguide-post. Now the weight boards forming the topsupport, with their- (See The lock- ICO of the car holds the pin 14,attached to the cable 16, in an elevated position against the tension ofthe springs 24, so that when the cable breaks the pin is instantlyreleased and drawn downward by the springs. This movement of the pinturns the levers on the pivotpins 22 and brings the serrated edges 21 ofthe plates 20 into contact with the side surface of the guide-posts 25.As the slots 8 extend at an angle to and upward and inward toward theguide-posts, the downward movement serves to force the plates 20 intotighter contact, and thus assists in looking the car.

The principal advantages of the invention are the certain andalmostinstantaneous automatic action of the safety device, the fact thatit cannot be prevented from looking by the swellingor shrinking of theboards or the rusting of the metal portions, and that it will catch andhold the car when loaded to its fullest capacity without injuring theguideposts or the working parts of the safety device.

To assist the levers and render the action of the device more perfect,an inclined lug 27 can be arranged to extend from each end plate ononeside of the diagonal slot 8 to form a wedging device, and thelock-plates can each be provided with an inclined edge 28, adapted toslide on the surface of the lug 27, and thus wedge themselves intolocking position by the downward movement of the car. This willpractically release the outer ends of the levers from strain when thedevice is operating to lock the car.

I claim as my invention-- 1. The combination with the guide-posts andcar having a top beam formed of two sepa rated pieces and slotted endplates,of a safety device comprising levers supported between the piecesof the top beam and projecting through the slots in the end plates, andgripping devices carried by the levers and adapted to grip theguide-posts.

2. The combination with the guide-posts, the car having a two-piece topbeam, and the supporting-cable, of a safetydevice comprising leverssupported between the two pieces of the beam and plates engaged by saidlevers adapted to grip the guide-posts, a fiat pin having its lower endextending between and connected to the inner ends of the levers and itsupper end connected to the car-supporting cable, and means forautomatically moving the levers to bring the plates into eeasso grippingcontact with the guide-posts upon the breaking of the supportingcable.

3. The combination with the guide-posts, the supporting-cable, and car,of end plates having slots extending at an angle to the guide-posts,levers connected to the supporting-cable and extending through theslots, and lock-plates attached to the levers.

4. The combination with the guide-posts, the supporting-cable and car,of end plates having slots extending upward and inward toward theguide-posts, levers connected to the supporting-cable, and extendingthrough the slots and lock-plates at the outer end of the levers.

5. In an elevator, guide-posts, a car having a top beam formed of twoparallel pieces, end plates having inclined slots, two levers pivotedbetween the parallel pieces with their outer ends extending through theinclined slots, lock-plates fastened to the outer ends of the levers, apin connected to the inner ends of the levers, and a supporting-cableconnected to said pin, as set forth.

6. In an elevator, guide-posts, a car having a top beam formed of twoparallel pieces, end plates having sockets in which said pieces areseated, holding-lugs and diagonally-extending slots, two levers pivotedbetween the parallel pieces with their outer ends extending through thediagonally-extending slots, lockplates fastened to the outerends of thelevers,

a pin connected to the inner ends of the levers, a supporting-cableconnected to said pin, a box on each side of the top beam and a springsupported in each box and bearing against the pin, as set forth.

7. In an elevator, guide-posts, a car having a top beam, end plates onsaid beam each having an inclined slot and a wedging projection, 9

and a locking device operated automatically by the breaking of the cableand including levers projecting through the slots and car ryinglock-plates sliding on the wedging projections.

8. In an elevator, guide-posts, a car having end plates provided withinclined slots, levers connected to the cable and supported from the carand having their ends projecting through the slots and lock-platessecured to the projecting ends of the levers.

ELIJAH R. VAN ALLEN. Witnesses:-

L. M. BILLINGS, GEO. A. NEUBAUER,

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